Car-coupling



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

latent-N; GAR COUPLING.

No. 349,679. Patented Sept. 28,- 1886.

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J. G. ASKREN.

GAR COUPLING- No. 349,679. Patented Sept. 28, 1886,.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. ASKREN,YOF MOUNT AYR, IOlVA.

CAR-COUPLING.

PIl-QIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,679, datedSeptember 28, 1886.

Application filed July 14, 1836. Serial No. 208,016. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. ASKREN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mount Ayr, in the county of Ringgold and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful linprovement in Car-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of car-coup lings in which thecoupling action occurs automatically in consequence of the concussion ofmeeting between two opposing draw-heads; and the object of my inventionis to produce a cheap, strong, and durable coupling which shall becapable of use in connection with various other forms of couplings, onewhich will couple equally well on curved and straight tracks, and whichwill not become accidentally uncoupled.

A further object of my invention is to produce a coupling which shallpermit the necessary up and down and sidewise movements of the movingcars, and which shall operate with draw-heads of different heights.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter describedand claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully u11- derstood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of two of my improved couplers connectedtogether as in use. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the couplers withthe top of its casing removed. Fig. 3 is a 1011- gitudinal verticalsection of the coupler 011 the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the top of the casingbeing in position. Fig. 4. is an outer end elevation of the casing withits link removed. Fi 5 is a detached view of one of the coupling-links.

In the said drawings, A designates the easing of the coupling-head, saidcasing being of oblong rectangular shapewith a removabletop, A, boltedor otherwise removably attached thereto. On the inner sides of thecasing and at the outer ends thereof is located a rectangularinwardly-extending portion, a, the front of which is formed oblique, asshown, so as to 0011- stitute a flaring mouth to guide the incominglink, the back of said portion a being straight, for a purposehereinafter described.

B designates a shaftwhich. extends transverse] y through the upper partof the head A,

at the outer end thereof, just back of the flaring mouth (1. Midway ofits length this shaft B carries a gravity-catch, C, which is rigidlysupcatch by a straight portion, 0 asshown. At

each end of shaft B are secured rigid crankhandles D, which extend fromthe said shalt coincidently with the catch 0, so that by moving saidhandles in one direction or the other the catch 0 may be carried eitherabove or be low the shaft B. The normal position of catch. 0 is belowshalt B, and it retains such position by gravity. The top A of thecasing is formed near'its outer end with a slot, to, which is covered bya boxing, a and when the catch C is brought above its shaft 13 it entersthe boxing a through the slot a, and its shoulder c rests upon the outerside of top piece, A, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The catch 0 isheld in this upward position by arms E, which are pivoted upon the sidesof easing A and engage beneath the cranks D, as shown in Fig. 1; V

In 'the top and bottom of easing A are formed two holes, a", which arein alignment with each other, and are designed to receive the pin F,which secures the link in the draw or coupling head.

G designates one of the coupling-links, which is used with my improvedcoupler. The body of this link is formed with a beveled V- shaped outerend, 9, a rounded inner end, 9, a U shaped lug, g, at the inner end ofthe link and 011 its under side, and also with two slots, g 9*, theformer being shorter than the latter and nearer the outer end, 9, of thelink.

H designates a movable partition or dia phragm, which is set within thecasing A, and from which extends a rod, h, surroundedby a spiralcompression-spring, h, the said rod pass play- This partltion is carrieding through the rear end of the casing and ing freely therein.

0, through I through the shoulder 0 back and forth in the casing A, ashereinafter described, and its movements are limited by stops h upon thebottom of easing A.

Now, the operation of the above-describedcoupler is as follows: Vhen thetwo opposing coupling-heads approach each other, either one or the otherof the coupling-links passes above or below the other, and strikingagainst the straight portions 0 of the catches G, throwing the sameinward, and finally permitting the catches to drop by gravity into theslots and thus couple the links. Each link is perma-v nently held by itspin F, and said pin passes through the longer slot, so that it' theouter ends of the two links should strike squarely against each otherand fail to pass by as they should, the inner ends of said links willforce the movable partitions inward and prevent any crushing or bendingof the links,while eventually disengaging their outer ends from contact.When the cars are drawn along, each link has threebearing-points'viz.,on the pin, on the catch,and on the top of thedraw-head I11 uncoupling, it is only necessary to turn the handles Dbackward and upward, so as to release the outer ends of the oppositelinks. It will. thus be seen that the coupler is simple, reliable, anddurable, and that it is easily operated.

If desired, a cord or rod may be led from one of the crank-handles D tothe top of the ear,

g", and the pivoted depending curved catches 0, adapted to enter theconnnunicating slots of the links when the draw-heads come together, forthe purpose set 1 forth, substantially as described. r

2. The combination, with a coupling-head, of the pin F, shaft B, andcatch 0 upon said shaft, said catch having shoulders c 0 as set forth.

3. The combination, with casing A, having partition H, with its rod hand spring h, the pin F, and arms E, of the shaft B, carrying catch 0and arms D, the link G, having V shaped end 9, lug g and slots 9 g, andthe top A, having slot a. and housing or boxing a, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAS. o. AsKunN,

Witnesses:

.T. M. ELLINGTON, L. O. SHEPHERD.

